Help! I’m scared. I recently turned 54 and every day I wake up just a little heavier than the day before! That’s an exaggeration, of course, but not much. Until now, I’ve been able to control my weight by eating reasonably healthy. I have a sweet tooth but make up for it with lots of salad and grilled chicken. For years I’ve had a certain weight in my head that I never wanted to pass and for the last three months, I’ve been past it plus. It’s been long enough that I know it isn’t water weight. And yes, it’s graduation party season but I’ve really controlled myself and even so, the weight just keeps coming. I’ve continued to exercise (walk) and have spent a fair amount of time doing yard/house work. I wear a fitbit and I’m easily at about 15,000+ steps a day.
I’m waiting for a response to the message I sent to my doctor asking for a re-test of my thyroid (I’m actually hoping for a minor medical problem) I’m on medication for it and I’m hoping that it needs to be adjusted. I guess I know what I’ll be doing with my empty nest - EXERCISING!
I’m sure this is typical, but I could really use some support and more importantly survival tips from people who are able to control the middle age gain.
I’m fighting this as well, and I’ve become convinced that the only solution is eating less. Exercising is important for your overall health, but it doesn’t contribute as much to weight loss. Changing eating habits is the hard part. I’m currently trying a suggestion to avoid eating meat before dinner time. Too soon to say if it will work, or if I can stick with it.
What is the rationale for avoiding meat before dinner time?
A good outlook to take middle age (or any age perhaps) is not to focus on the weight loss (so not the number on the scale) , but loss of inches - so, become leaner in various parts of the body.
I am not middle-aged, but I gained and eventually lost 30+ pounds in my 20’s. My mom is middle-aged, just about your age, and she experienced some weight gain, despite being a pretty healthy eater. For both of us, it was the same issue - sugar, specifically added sugar, not naturally-occurring sugar in fruits. For the two of us, it was changes in how we ate that made the difference. We both basically limited our sugar to the daily limit recommended by AHA (25 grams a day, and that’s in everything - candy, pasta, breads, yogurt - anything that has added sugar). I know it has done great things for me! My mom was never overweight, but I think it was the same situation as with you - the weight started creeping up, and I know that whole sugar thing is what she ultimately feels was responsible. Everyone is different obviously - hopefully that helps you - the sweet tooth comment just really struck cord with me.
I don’t think there’s any magic trick that will do it. I think it’s overall life style – both your activity level and your intake level. I also think your genes have a lot to do with it.
I was always slender, not so much because I did everything right, but because I was blessed with good genes. But when I hit mid-50s, the same thing happened to me. (I’m almost 60 now.)
The sad fact is that with the changing metabolism which is one of the special gifts of this age, diet change alone isn’t enough, or it wasn’t for me. I started walking, but that didn’t help much either. Meantime, my doctor was recommending that I do strength training for my osteoporosis, so I joined a gym 4 months ago. What I’m finding is that my weight isn’t decreasing much, but my body is starting to change in ways that I like. My pants are buttoning comfortably these days! My trainer is persuading me to stop being so fixated on the scale, and to care more about how I feel, and how I feel about how I look.
ETA – Be careful about dropping your calorie intake too low. Your body could decide that it’s starving which will actually slow down fat loss.
Muscle mass decreases as you get older unless you increase type of activities.
Same with aerobic. You might be walking 5 miles a day, but if you don’t increase your pace, your body adjusts metabolism to accomodate your food intake or lack thereof.
Thyroid can be a concern however, especially for women of a certain age.
Try taking your basal body temp before you get out of bed in the morning.
Low thyroid will cause a lower than average temp.
Also watch the foods you eat, especially the amount of soy.
As we age, we women tend to lose 5% or so of our lean muscle mass - every year! As EK mentioned, maintaining the muscle weight is important for overall weight control, because it is the tissue that burns the most calories. The solution is to maintain and exercise your muscles. It does not mean you have to go on a body building mission. Pick up free weights, do pushups, do physically challenging work like shoveling snow, carry heavy objects…
On another note, I am very much convinced that the heavy BC pills many women have been taking for years result in irreversible damage to our metabolism…
good point BB.
I know some young women who are being treated for hypothyroid, but they have also been on birth control pills for several years, and I wonder if the hormones are not helping.
Ive also read some things that suggest that iodine has been replaced in our food supply with things that contribute to a sluggish thyroid.
Not going to link, because even though the articles are supposedly by certified nutritionists/dieticians, and they make sense, they then bring their authority into question by going off the deep end on tangentially related topics.
Where my family holds their weight is very German.
Upper arms and abdomen. Even when I was slender and you could practically see my pelvic bones, I thought I had chubby arms.
But so far, I am into the " transition" and only have a few cycles a year, and haven’t gained weight.
Unfortunately, arthritis and fibro make exercise & weight training not as easy as it used to be, & of course swimming isnt weight bearing.
We are having our 40th high school reunion this year too, and although I sit here " testing" the jalapeño poppers for a neighborhood potluck, I want to look stunning.
Maybe I should go on the horrible diet in solidarity with my friend who has early onset Alzheimers.
She cant eat wheat, dairy, starchy veggies or fruits ( like bananas). She looks great, but I am too lazy to plan out my meals to that extent.
Going on a short restricted diet could be useful to get into a different mode of thinking however. My H could eat fast food for breakfast & lunch and a pint of premium ice cream for dinner (& has!) and not gain an oz. Me, not so much.
I asked about this myself, over in the diet/wellness thread. The nice people there had some good suggestions, you may want to go read through and see what resonates. You can only eat so little and still be healthy, so that leaves exercise – and walking is really good for your bones, but may not be burning enough calories. I am in the process of concentrating less on steps (I also have a FitBit) and much more on calorie burn. I’m learning interval training, resistance exercise, and plain ol sweaty basketball shooting in my driveway to burn up more. It is hard, and I am often discouraged.
Sugar is hard for me, too. I find I’m more successful if I eliminate one source at a time - I gave up soda, then sweetened yogurt…next will be granola bars. I imagine I will go to my grave with a Hershey bar, however
It’s not sexy, but it works: eat less. I know, I know, easier said than done. But that’s how everyone I know who’s maintained their relatively slim physique through all the hormonal ups and downs did it. Exercise is great for tone, strength and balance (the last two increasingly important as we age) but it’s not enough to keep the pounds from creeping up.
My goal is to gradually shift toward eating only two major meals per day. I’m not quite there yet, but getting closer. They’re big on protein and vegetables. I stick to foods that keep me full, avoid those that don’t. (Love pasta, but two hours later I feel like I haven’t eaten anything!) Snacks are few and far between and mostly a combo of protein and fruit, to satisfy my sweet tooth. If I have wine with dinner, I skip dessert. If I really blow it and eat a ton one day, I try to semi-fast the next day (one light meal.) I do reward myself – ice cream is a huge weakness, and I give into it. Just… not every day. Say, twice a week.
Many of us have that issue. I’m finding that I’m not nearly as physically active as in the past. And I eat (and drink) very well. All of it dovetails together in carrying too much weight, which makes the exercise part even tougher to get going on. Throw in hypertension medicines that blunt your vigor a little bit, and voila…the current masterpiece.
My recipe is to get control over daily alcohol intake, and get some daily exercise that takes an hour or so. The exercise itself isn’t going to burn much off, but I find it has an effect on my later appetite and my inclination to watch what I eat.
The real problem is that the few extra calories over what you burn can add maybe just 3/4 pound per year, but if it persists, in 10 years you’re up nearly 8 pounds, and in 15-20 years you’re up 12-15 pounds, or more if your calorie excess is more than just a few. Its not much fun to be disciplined.
I have that wonderful menopausal muffintop. I look at food and gain weight, and have had a low metabolism all of my life. When I am stressed or depressed I stop eating for a day or two, which sends my body into starvation mode and that makes it really hard to control my weight…once went an entire month surviving only on yogurt drinks (which was the only thing I could force down) and lost no weight at all.
